Earlybird apparently invests in Droiddrive

If the start-up has its way, delivery services will soon be sending their goods using automated load trailers.

The Aachen-based start-up Droiddrive has successfully completed its extended seed financing round. The venture capitalists Earlybird Venture Capital and be10x Capital GmbH as well as NRW.Bank have invested. According to the internet platform start-up scene Earlybird led the round. A total amount in the low millions is said to have been raised. The company's product is an electrically powered cargo trailer called Ducktrain. The start-up now wants to use the money to push ahead with its development.

The Ducktrain prototype was launched in Aachen in 2020. Two more will be driving around Hamburg from March 2022. The start-up has also found a partner from the freight forwarding industry. The cargo trailers can be docked onto bicycles, tricycles or e-cargo bikes. Users can connect up to five vehicles with a maximum load of 300 kilograms, and a driver's license is apparently not required.

The trailers are docked to the vehicle with the driver using a drawbar. However, the company still has big plans: A so-called "Follow Me" vehicle is due to arrive soon. Equipped with a sensor, the vehicle would then automatically keep its distance. Other vehicles are also to be added. For the time being, the start-up in Aachen is only focusing on corporate customers, including parcel and food delivery services, for example.